DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 63, 9 December 1918, Page 6

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE

I MR. MASSEY'S PROMISE The Prime Minister, in the House on I Saturday night, said he wished to refer ] to the difference between the two Houses i on the Legislative Council Amendment : Bill. The House, some evenings ago, I had inserted in that Bill an amendment admitting women to Parliament, and the [ Legislative Council had rejected that , provision. Ho had intended originally to ! move that the House should appoint ' managers to meet the representatives of 1 the Council. But he had decided after | consideration that it would be better to I ask the Houso not to insist upon its amendment. The manner in which the : amendment was moved had been irregu- : lar and unconstitutional. A most important question of policy was involved, jfr. G. Witty (Riccarton): It lias been done in England. Mr. Massey: For women over thirtyone years of age. T am prepared to adopt it here, but it stould not lie done by way of a side issue. If we are going ■ to allow women to enter Parliament, ' then a Bill should be brought down in. ! B 'proper manner.

;■ Another Opportunity. , "I intend to see that the House has 'an opportunity to reconsider this subject ' next session," added Mr. "There i may be differences of opinion even in

Cabinet on. this proposal, hut I think I am within my rights in saying that members will be given an opportunity to consider this question next session if I am here. Mr. Parr: Will you bring down a Bill? Mr. Massey: I would not like to go the length of saying that. It could be done either by resolution or by a Bill. If tho resolution was carried the Bill would follow. Members wiil have an opportunity as far as I am concerned to consider tho question. I nsk the House, in the meantime not to insist upon tliis amendment. Rights Recognised. . Sir Joseph Ward said that in 1907 he had put on record his conviction that women ought to bo admitted to the House. The women had shown during tho war that they could do practically everything a man could do as well as a man could do. He felt that when a Government brought down a liill in the proper way women should be> admitted to Parliament. But the change should not be made in the way in which it was proposed to make it. The member for Lyttelton was always ready to seek notoriety by moving amendments regardless of whether they were in tho light place. "I am of opinion that a uumber of women should be placed in the Legislative Council," 6aid Sir Joseph Ward. "They can't be worse than some of the honourable members of that branch of the Legislature. (Laughter.) i entirely withdraw the reflection. I recognise that in another place venerable and amiable members, and also younger members, are anxious to have associated with them representatives of tho women of this country."

Mr. Parr (Eden) Not over thirty years of age, they say. (Laughter.) Sir Joseph Ward said he would be delighted to see a lady contesting the Awarua seat witli him. It would be much nicer than fighting against a hardfaced man. (Laughter.) The events of tho last four years had changed many ideas, and it would afford him great satisfaction'to see some reasonable women of the right, type in the Legislature. Ho hoped r]iat/women would take their seats there in tho future.

Mr. J. M'Combs (Lyttelton) protested asrainst the flippant attitude of the House. The Speaker had ruled his nymendment to be in order, and a majority of members had supported it. A mere subterfuge was now being employed in order to defeat a provision that would give women the right to ente.r Parliament. The Legislative Council had rejected the clause, and tho Prime Minister was not asking for a single conference on the subject. This was a most irregular course. He had been accused of seeking notoriety. The position was that the National Government wished to get applause by bringing down a Bill next session to do what had been done already by his amendment in the Bill before the House. He asked the-members who had voted for the amendment to stand by their rights. Mr. Massey replied that members had come to him since the division on the amendment, and had said that they had not understood its effect. The amendment had not been discussed, and it had gone* through the House without any proper consideration. The amendment admittedly had.been in order, but it had been irregular, improper, and unconstitutional. A proposal of that kind should have come from the Government of the day. He could see giothing against the principle. He had said often that as soon as women wished their sex to be represented directly in Parliament they should have the right to do so. Mr. Massey's motion that the House should not insist on its amendment was carried by 30 votes to IS. The division list was as follows-.— Ayes (3(1): Allen, Bollard, Colvin, Dickie, Dickson, J. S.. Field, W. H.. Eraser, W. Harris, Herri"?, TTmUwi. Hunter. Jennines, Lee, MacDonnld, Malcolm. Mander, Massey, Myers, NWman, E., Nosworthy. Pearce, Poninre, Rhor'os, T. W., Russell. Scntt, Smith, R. W., Statham. Urn, Ward. Younfr.' Noes (18): Anstey, Oaiiri'\"Pi"l-«iii. ,T. V.. Ell. Fr*>r. P.. Horn.'V. M'Callum, M'Combs, Parr. Pavne, Poland, Sidev, Smith, S. G., Stewart, Sykos, Talbot, Veitch, Wright.